Communicating with your instructor and other classmates is easy from within the LMS. There are four places in which communication takes place: Discussion Forums, Class Questions, the Inbox, Announcements, and Groups. 

Discussion Forums

The Discussion Forums page contains links to the Class Introductions and the weekly discussion questions for each topic.  To access this page, select Discussion Forums from the list of options on the left side of your classroom.

Once there, all available discussion questions for the class will be visible. The Class Introduction is a place to post a short bio, and the discussion questions is for participation in class discussions for each topic. The questions are listed in order and are labeled with their appropriate topic designation and start date. The Unread Posts and Total Posts columns are useful for determining if there are new posts to read and respond to.



For information on how to respond to Discussion Forum Posts, check out the article: (NextGen LMS) Discussion Forums.

Class Questions

The Class Questions section serves as an open forum to ask questions that anyone in the class can answer. If you’re used to attending in-person classes, this is the online equivalent to raising your hand and asking a question out-loud.

To access this page, select Class Questions from the list of options on the left side of your classroom.



For an in-depth overview of how to use the Class Questions feature, check out the article: (NextGen LMS) Class Questions.

Inbox

The Inbox serves as a communication channel between you and all of your instructors. From the Inbox, you can send private messages to any instructor that you currently have a class with.

Start by locating and clicking the Inbox icon in the upper right corner of the LMS.

Once inside the Inbox, your current instructors’ names will appear in a list on the left. Select any of their names in order to start a message.

Type your message in the box below. If needed, you can also attach a file by selecting the paperclip icon beneath the textbox. Once you’re ready, click Send.

The message will appear above with a date and time stamp. There is no way to edit a message once it’s been sent, but you can hide the post and make a new one. To hide a post, click the eye icon on the upper right of the message box. The post will then turn grey. Your instructor will be able to see that a message was sent at that date and time, but will not be able to read the message itself. To unhide the post, simply click the eye icon again. 

Once your instructor responds, you’ll be notified via the Inbox icon. A number will appear to indicate how many new messages you have received. Click the icon to be taken back to your Inbox at any time.

Announcements

The Announcements page contains posts made by the instructor that may include class requirements and important class updates. Click Announcements from the left side of your class to access these posts.

You can read any announcement directly on this page. Once you have read the announcement press Acknowledge.

Groups

Some courses include group assignments. If your course includes a group assignment, your instructor will split the class into groups. Once your instructor has placed you in a group, you will gain access to a team-specific forum for you to discuss and collaborate on the assignment. This group can be accessed from the Assignment Details page by clicking Go to Group, or by selecting Groups from the navigation menu on the left side of the classroom.